Enter NYC
by aries-chica56
Summary: This is Rent based, but there are others that aren't necessarily part of the group but they move the story along, and help out characters here and there. They are the behind the scenes people of the Rent bunch.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: Do not own Rent but the other characters you don't recognize are mine. **_

_Enter NYC, through the backdoors._

_Choose your own life,_

_Make each day count,_

_Like it's your last._

When the summer of 1990 passed, the world changed. Angel was getting weaker and Collins was there by his side always. Mimi was felt alone; Roger had broken up with her, so she spent her time with her dying best friend. Roger kept to himself and confined to the apartment once again. Mark had given up trying to get him to go out. Buzz Line took up a fair amount of his time anyways.

Benny was more and more present, which was odd considering he fought so hard to disconnect from his past. Was he back together with Mimi?

Maureen and Joanne had not talked since they called off their engagement. There were also awkward moments when they were hanging out with the rest.

On this particular day, Mark was returning from work, and as he approached the door leading to the staircase, a young woman of early twenties with messy braided brown hair nearly ran into him, had he not put his arm to stop her. "Woah, easy there."

She looked up with her radiant blue eyes and smiled. "Sorry, I'm a little late."

"You new?" He inquired. "I'm Mark, by the way."

"Yeah. I just started renting here last week. Andy," Extending her hand.

"Really? You mean you actually pay?"

"Yeah, but barely."

"Benny can be a prick about it."

"Meaning Benjamin Coffin the 3rd, he's alright. You sound like you know him well."

"I do. He used to be one of my roommates back before he bought the building."

"Hmmm… geez, I got to get to work."

"Where?"

"As a waitress at Denny's"

She rushed off, as Mark went up the stairs. Roger was still strumming chords lightly, just like he did when Mark left that morning.

"Have you gone outside? Fresh air would do you some good."

"What are you so cheerful about?" Mark would not or could not stop grinning.

"Did you know there is a new girl in the building?"

Roger gave him a glance saying, 'Since I don't go out, how would I know?'

"Right wrong person to ask."

"What's her name?"

"Andy, waitress at Denny's."

He mumbled a good, and went back to his music.


	2. Chapter 2

Joanne and Maureen headed off to a photo shoot, where the diva would "strut her stuff." Maureen had met the guy at a bar who requested a photo shoot because she has such a unique appearance. When Joanne heard of the idea, she immediately insisted on joining.

They found the apartment a few blocks away, in another broken down neighbourhood like their own. The blond boy opened the door. "Ah! Glad you could make it!" He glanced at Joanne then Maureen awkwardly introduced her. "Aren't you pretty?"

"My photos should have several close-ups and others that doesn't capture me weird angles to make me look like a freak." Maureen shifting the attention back to herself as she strode into the flat. Joanne gave the guy a simple smile. The guy extended a hand and a grin, "I'm Jay."

Maureen being the drama queen she is, brought extra clothes. While she was in the bathroom, Jay offered Joanne a drink. "So nice place," Joanne tried to ease the atmosphere. "You're a photographer, so do you do portraits a lot?"

"Yeah, but I capture other things as well if it sparks something."

"Do you often approach random women and invite them back here to do the photo gig?"

A little taken aback, "No, I just thought… look I'm sorry."

"Sorry, didn't mean to attack you like that. Its just Maureen has had a history of being… uncommitted and I don't want her to do it again." She poured herself another drink.

"I understand. Now if you don't mind me asking. Could I take a series of pictures of you too? To make it up to you at least?"

"Okay" and they shook on it as Maureen came out energetically.


	3. Chapter 3

Angel Dumont Schunard died on October 30th, which left everyone in despair especially for Collins. Roger planned to leave for Santa Fe soon, Mimi apparently was losing strength, and Joanne and Maureen got back together.

As for Mark, he was unsure of his world. Over the last few months, he had ran into Andy a couple times. Several times he had walked her to the restaurant. They had become friends.

"How come you carry that camera around?"

"It's there so I can never miss an interesting moment that I could use for my documentary."

"Really?" She took a small book out of her satchel that hung across her chest. She handed it to him. He was confused for a minute, then he saw the pencil sketches. "That is what I do."

"These are really good. You really have a knack for capturing a person's features." There were portraits of stranger, some looked somewhat familiar and towards the end, there were Benny, Mimi and he. "Wow, these are good."

She took the book back and put it away. Mark thought then spoke, "Do you want to see my stuff sometime?"

"I'd love to."

"Granted of course. I have nothing finished at the moment." He stated the harsh fact, but he was happy.

With the gloom of Angel's decease, and Roger's departure, these interactions became more frequent. Mark decided to bring her to one of his editing sessions. He wanted to finish his film but he needed another's feedback, and since it was a surprise for his friends, she seemed like the best choice.

That night, he left the apartment and went to her work to ask her. He waited outside until eleven, and then Andy came out. "Mark? What are you doing here?"

"You know how I promised to show you my stuff, well I need feedback. Come with me to my editing room?" He looked so pleading.

They both set off to "Corporate America". Andy sighed, "The world I ran away from."

"Huh?"

"My parents are both top lawyers. I never fitted in. They wanted me to lead the Ivy League life but when my boyfriend of then got me pregnant, I left and they disowned me.'

"Wow. So what happened if you don't mind me asking?"

"I had a miscarriage. So I was alone and abandoned." She stated with a heavy heart. "So then I found Alphabet City and a job."

"That must have been hard. I myself left my parents' house. They live on the upper end of town. They still call but I don't exactly communicate with them. Here we are."

They had reached the private entrance. Mark unlocked the door and they walked up the stairs. When the pair reached a room that consisted of the editing equipment, Mark got his neatly preserve roll of film. He put it on the projector and let it run.

There were scenes of typical New York settings, the old homely New Yorkers that would help each other in time of need if they could. There were scenic shots as well as clips of the group and some of strangers.

One scene that really stuck out was the one where Andy was sketching from the roof and Mark unknowingly to Andy, captured her.

"I hope you don't mind. I meant to ask you if that was okay but I didn't know how to bring it up and at the time I didn't feel right to disturb you."

"It's okay. Really. Plus it works for your documentary… That is what you are trying to capture. La Vie Boheme in the practice."

The last picture showed and it went black.

"I liked it. I'm sure they will too." She stood and hugged him, while wiping her tears away.

"Why are you crying?"

"I had a close network of friends too once. Then they all left."

It was his turn to comfort her.


	4. Chapter 4

Roger has made it to Santa Fe and for the while settled in. He found a shabby place to live, a used car dealership to buy his car, and money to buy that guitar to compose that song. He had been trying to work on it at home, or at malls or just anywhere where he could.

One day after not much luck, he wandered into a bar to come face to face with a girl that strongly resembled Mimi, with a nametag reading Brooke. It took several minutes to convince him that he was not hallucinating; this woman was actually like Mimi. He sat down at the counter. She offered him a drink, he accepted and after a few, near closing time, he started to tell this stranger; Brooke about his situation with Mimi back home. She listened in silence. He finished and looked into his empty glass. He put it down and pushed it away.

Brooke spoke, "Sounds to me that you really like this girl. Don't be afraid to fight for her."

"But how?" he whined.

"I think you should go back, she loves you whether you love yourself or not, and that is rare."

With that Roger thanked her and left for New York the following morning.


End file.
